I have an idea for a new EPA mandate 

"El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First!" (lightningzone) 05/04/2015 at 20:04 • Filed to: None

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Every new car should be 200 pounds lighter than the car it replaces. Fuel efficiency and good driving dynamics, at the same time.

TheJWT > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 05/04/2015 at 20:19

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New game- How much would your car weigh if each previous generation was 200lbs lighter?

tromoly > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 05/04/2015 at 20:28

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Crash structure requirements are the killer on that part. Great idea in practice, and to be honest it’s the #2 way to improve fuel economy (drag reduction is #1), just that pesky crash requirement can be a pain.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > TheJWT 05/04/2015 at 20:36

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My 2nd gen. TSX has about 3,400 lb. The first gen. had 3,318 lb.

3,118 lb is the answer.

TheJWT > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 05/04/2015 at 20:40

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Not bad. My 3rd Gen Sentra would weigh 1475lbs. A current gen one would weigh 675lbs.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > TheJWT 05/04/2015 at 20:42

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New TLX is a pig at 3,774 lbs, for the AWD version.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > tromoly 05/04/2015 at 21:00

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The idea is to speed up the development of better materials.

Axel-Ripper > TheJWT 05/04/2015 at 21:02

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My 1966 F100 was 3700 lbs.... Looks like 9 gens since, so we should be at 1900 lbs? Miataweight half-ton anyone?

Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed > tromoly 05/04/2015 at 21:12

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I think a lot of the weight is due to sheer increase in height length and width dimensions driven by the quest for more interior space. Some of that is surely a response to thicker door panels, more airbags, better rollover protection though. Cars with sporting aspirations need to just get smaller overall, in all dimensions not just weight.

yamahog > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 05/04/2015 at 21:24

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tromoly > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 05/04/2015 at 21:49

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It gets complicated when working in the consumer market, so many hands are in the cookie jar of development.

Engineers may want to use Aluminum (lighter weight, easy-ish to work with), Marketing may want Carbon Fiber (it’s flashy!), and Accounting may want Steel (cheap, quick production).

tromoly > Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed 05/04/2015 at 21:50

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You’ve pretty much framed out my entire comment, I agree with all of that.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > Short-throw Granny Shifter is 2 #blessed 2b stressed 05/04/2015 at 22:00

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I don’t mind size that much, as long as it doesn’t ruin the proportions. Toyota Supra, Dodge Viper or Maserati GT are awesome cars, but they aren’t small.

Low weight and a low center of gravity are the key to a good driving car.

samssun > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 05/04/2015 at 22:51

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You’d have to get rid of the ever-escalating safety standards. Even with all the new features, no automaker would willingly make their cars this bloated because it costs everywhere (mileage, accel, decel, handling, ride). But there’s an entire bureaucracy built around the need for constant safety improvements, so cars from 5 years ago would be considered deathtraps despite being safer than 95% of cars in history.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > TheJWT 05/04/2015 at 23:37

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it'd weight the same, but the first gen jetta would weight in at 1800lbs.

...actually that seems right... ;)

TheJWT > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power 05/05/2015 at 09:54

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If each new generation was 200lbs lighter, yours would weigh 800lbs then! (I’m assuming you’ve got a 6th gen)

Azrek > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 05/05/2015 at 11:21

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Meanwhile...Colin Chapman is rolling over in his grave.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > TheJWT 05/05/2015 at 17:17

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oh, wait, I read that the wrong way around....

and yep it'd be the same weight a little

For Sweden > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 05/05/2015 at 18:59

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Tie registration tax to curb weight and you’ll have lighter cars very soon.